Asian Coconut Tart

This is the tart that we usually find in any oriental bakery in the olden days but now, coconut tarts can be found in bakery all across the globe. Being a Malaysian, coconut is what i'm grown up with. Easily found in the form of fresh coconuts or dried up version, every household in the country always have beautiful off white flaky grated coconut in their fridge and i'm not exceptional.

Usually, i'll use my coconut for my curries but today i decided to go for a dessert. I combined the sweet,and creamy coconut flesh with buttery and flaky pastry. I know...i know its too good to resist and that is the valid reason i'm making it. I'm not fond of coconut tarts sold in bakery as they taste far too sweet or the coconut filling are often not fresh and. I'm glad i made this tart that truly satisfied my search for a perfect coconut tart.


Ingredients

For The Pastry

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 egg
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup cold butter,diced
1/2 tsp salt


For The Coconut Filling

2 cups fresh grated coconut
1 tbsp custard powder
1/3 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 tbsp condensed milk

For Garnishing

Red/green cherries,chopped


Methods

Preheat oven at 350'F or 175'C with the baking rack in the middle of the oven

In a bowl, sift together flour,salt and cornstarch. Add in the sugar and mix well to combined. With your finger tips rub the cold diced butter into the flour mixture to get a crumble texture.

Add the egg and knead to form a dough. Flatten the dough into disk and cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

In another bowl, combine together grated coconut,custard powder,melted butter,eggs,sugar and condensed milk. Mix well.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and divide the pastry into 12 equal balls. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the tart mould and press it all the way up to completely cover the mould. Trim edges for a neat finishing.

Fill the tarts with coconut filling and with the excess flour from the trim edges, form into 2 short logs and place on the tart overlapping into one another. Bake for 30-35 minutes or till lightly golden.

Cool the tarts for 5 minutes and unmould the tarts and cool completely on wire rack.

Garnish with red or green cherries

Serve with a hot cuppa of tea

Notes

• If you can't get fresh grated coconut, replace it with store bought moist Hawaii coconut flakes